The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disability is related to his in-service injury, and thus service connection for this condition is granted. The acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) including major depressive disorder is also found to be related to his back disability and service connection is granted.
The deciding factor: Lay and medical evidence supports a nexus between the Veteran's current back disability and his in-service injury, with consistent reports of pain since service and treatment records indicating causation. The acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) including major depressive disorder is found to be secondary to the back disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative lumbar spine with post-operative pain and stiffness, Acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), to include major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 4, 2017
- Citation
- 1714698
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1714698.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Granted
The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be caused by his service-connected low back and radiculopathy disabilities, which prevent him from doing enjoyable activities and daily living tasks.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
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